Instagram is not new, but media companies of all shapes and sizes have been rushing to Instagram in 2018. Changes and challenges with Facebook’s algorithm have partly driven the push, but it’s also because IG continues to surge in popularity with audiences.

Instagram has long been known as the “positive” social network and local media companies have done well to leverage a strategy that emphasizes “pride of place.” Audiences will follow you if they look at your account and think to themselves, “this is why I live here.”

Of course, news brands also feel a responsibility for actually covering the news and presenting information that’s more important than a pretty sunset. “The trick is to balance the two,” says Lila King, Instagram’s head of news partnerships. “Do something that is deeply tied to what you stand for, being a pillar, a voice for the community. But also covering what’s happening.”

Yes, breaking news can work in Instagram, but should be done selectively. For example, KABC in LA saw a nice boost in referral traffic from this post. But if you look through the rest of the station’s feed, you will notice that its 220,000 followers receive a mix of content that leans heavily toward “pride of place” with situational breaking news sprinkled throughout.

Instagram has become a more complex platform in recent months, with Live, Stories and the new IGTV confusing what previously was a relatively simple play. Given that, we thought it would be timely to offer an Instagram reset with some recommendations for how best to leverage IG.

1. How Safe is my Son? - As kids get geared up to re-start school and sports programs there are an increasing amount of red flags concerning concussions and football helmets. Riddell, one of the largest helmet manufacturers in America, can’t even find a buyer because of the concussion issue. So, why allow your child to play at all? How safe are those helmets? Provide your audience with an audit of all the major school districts and what kind of helmets they are using. The attached list itemizes the three best football helmets aimed at reducing concussions so you can see if your school districts and peewee leagues are keeping safety as the primary focus.

2. The Eyes Have It- Before summer ends give the parents in your audience a few simple things to think about to keep their kids safe at the pool, on the field or just having fun. This one is a quick way to put together a July story with strong impact.

3. How Stark is your Park? - Ever wonder why your neighborhood park just isn’t like it was when you were growing up? The ball diamond is hardly playable, the tennis courts are full of cracks, the drainage always causes flooding, the retaining walls don’t retain – and the list goes on. In many communities decades of budget cuts and construction delays have led to a growing crisis in America’s parks. Get the ball rolling in your market with a user generated campaign where your audience sends in its thoughts, pictures and videos on which parks need the most attention. Find out how long it’s been since your parks have had a major upgrade - 25, 50, 75 years?

4. Robo Revenge - Sick and tired of those robo calls? Many times these are beyond annoying - they are scams waiting to happen. But, now there are apps for that Robo Killer, NoMoRobo and Mr. Number. Do they work - have several of your most influential audience social media contributors give them a try. Could make for some interesting feedback in a Facebook Live too as others provide other remedies, alert you to scams or are already using a third party app and want to weigh in. Leave your audience empowered with these five ways to try to block robo calls.